Meta

All posts for the month December, 2006

Just to clarify: Seth’s not about to become a daddy, but Frank already is one. Let’s start with the main focus of the night, Seth and Summer. Is it wrong for me to sort of wish the pregnancy test had been positive? Purely for the reason of having a good soap-opera story line play out, because Seth’s and Summer’s relationship has been a little…well, boring this season. Not that they were ready to become parents, especially with Seth’s “gimme a high five” reaction when he thought the test was Taylor’s and not Summer’s. Seth, Seth, Seth – I was so disappointed in him. Well, at least he redeemed himself at the end, after he was able to figure out his true feelings for Summer (thanks to Ryan’s help) and propose to her before looking at the test results. The alien ring, Seth’s declaration of his love, Summer’s surprise and acceptance – it was all very sweet, if for just a moment. And then, suddenly, it all felt…wrong. The chemistry between them just seemed to vanish. Now it’s like they’re getting married simply because they really don’t have anything else to do before they head back to college in the fall. The negative pregnancy test “saves us from having to have a shotgun wedding, now we can just have a normal wedding,” Seth declared. That’s all well and good, but I don’t watch The O.C. too see “normal” things. Normal’s for everyday life; The O.C. is for fun, heightened drama. Summer’s earlier panic-stricken question of “How did I go from being an Ivy League Al Gore-in-the-making to a knocked-up college dropout?” sounded like a more interesting road to pursue dramatically. However, Seth and Summer’s lack of enthusiasm after they became engaged suggested that all will not be smooth sailing ahead, so maybe there’s some fun to be had there.

Let’s move on to the most in-sync couple of the night – no, not Ryan and Taylor, though they were adorable as always and they seem to be progressing in their relationship. They had their first fight! And, they made up and got past it (“So you don’t think I’m a whore?”)…awww. But the surprise pairing of this episode was Kaitlin and her new surrogate father, Bullitt (I’ve been thinking it was “Bullet,” but I checked the FOX Web site). I was actually feeling bad for little Kaitlin: her dad’s too busy partying out of phone range to call her; her mom leaves her at a party to go deal with business; her prince dates turned out to be less than charming; and apparently the girl has no friends. But she has Bullitt, who calls her “Peanut,” invites her to his party and gives her money to get a new dress. In return, she offers him tips for dating her mom. Then, he actually spends time with her at the party. The scene with him teaching her the two-step was too cute.

Nevertheless, Bullitt’s son seems to lack his father’s charm. He and his male prostitution ring are leading Julie down a dangerous road of Risky Business, and the last thing Julie needs in her life is a bad influence. I understand Julie’s desperate to make money, but this illegal venture cannot end well. (Though it does allow her to get in some classic Julie Cooper lines: “I may be a madam, but I’m not a whore.”) After all, it’s already leading her to meet a shady ex-con who’s using an alias: Frank Perry, a.k.a., Frank Atwood, a.k.a., Ryan’s father. We’ve met Ryan’s mother and brother in past seasons, and since they’ve always mentioned that his dad was not dead but in prison, I’ve been waiting for the day when we were going to finally get to meet him. Now, that day has arrived. This is gonna be good. But since we didn’t find out that Frank was Daddy Atwood until the closing lines of this episode, I’m going to wait before commenting anymore on this developing story line. Until next year…(remember, no new episode next week; the next new episode is on January 4).

O.C. Scoop: Taylor Townsend Talks!

By Kristin Veitch, E!OnlineDec 21, 2006 11:20 AM
They said it couldn’t be done. The O.C. reborn in year four? A stupendous season minus Marissa Cooper?! Pshaw! Many scoffed at the idea, but they obviously hadn’t yet learned the power of the almighty…wait for it, wait for it…Taylor Townsend. The O.C.’s latest addition is perky, prissy and meddling as all hell, and as you fellow O.C. fans know, perhaps the biggest reason we’re all still watching the show this year. So, when I heard a rumor that the woman herself (also known as Autumn Reeser) was in the E! building, you best believe I stalked that little lady for some scoop!

Read on for exclusive dish on the show, how she feels about die-hard Marissa fans and why getting wet for Ryan Atwood wasn’t really all that bad.

Taylor Townsend saved The O.C.!
[Laughs.] Oh, thank you, but I don’t know about that! I have a great time playing her. The only time I’m not thrilled is when I have to be at work at five in the morning. That’s tough, because Taylor is so energetic and focused and I’m not at six in the morning. It’s a lot to pull out when it’s still dark outside.

So, I suppose you’re not a whole lot like Taylor in real life?
I do relate to many things about her. I’m a big organizer. I totally spend my weeknights filing photos or recipes. I don’t like to get in other people’s business as much as she does. And she’s more neurotic and needier. But I love Taylor.

She’s a little different than she was last season, though. Did you have fun doing that whole sudsy, soapy Ryan Atwood fantasy sequence a few weeks back?
[Laughs.] That was awesome. I got to shoot that on my birthday. It was a great gift for me, because I’m a dancer and I like to express myself physically. I liked being able to go off, do whatever I wanted and be somebody different. It was so much fun.

What did you think when the producers told you that Taylor and Ryan would have a thing this year?
Actually, they didn’t really tell us. They sort of hinted at it [in the scripts] and then it kind of just progressed in the episodes. I thought it was a good place for the show to go. I think Taylor and Ryan actually make a really good couple together. She’s a good influence on him, and I like the storyline. I think the fans like it, too.

Were you at all worried that fans would turn against you for being with Marissa’s man?Oh yeah. Absolutely. I still am half-worried that people are going to hate me [and say], “She’s stealing Marissa’s boyfriend!” I’m sure there are people who are pissed, but mostly it’s been a good response.

Is it very different on set this season with Mischa [Barton] gone?Yeah it is. It’s always different when you lose somebody who was such an intrinsic part of what you began with.

What can you say about Taylor’s future? Might we see her French husband again? Will she continue to live with Julie and Kaitlin now that Summer’s back in Newport?
We will see Taylor’s husband again. I can tease to that. But honestly, Taylor needs to move out [of the Cooper house] and get her life on the right path again. Everything was derailed for her when she went to France. It’s like her whole life has taken this different course. There was just no planning it, so she really needs to start over, because if she’s not training for a job or something, there’s going to be trouble down the way. I think she should go back to school, get her own apartment and get stuff together. Stop meddling in everyone’s life, Taylor, and get your own!

There are tons of new spoilers this week, probably the only ones we will see till after the holidays. Although January is cold, things are going to get pretty steamy on our favorite TV shows!

Gilmore Girls:

From Ask Ausiello: Lorelai and Christopher are going to have a huge falling-out in early ’07 over a letter. (Ep. 12 , 13) Also, Rory’s going to develop a crush on the hot young economics professor brought in to temporarily replace an ailing Richard. (Ep. 14) And there will be a death around Episode 13, but not a serious one. In fact, it’s kinda funny.

Episode 7.11: Santa’s Secret Stuff Airdate: January 23, 2007: Lorelai and Rory will run into April and Luke in episode 7.11. Source: SpoilerFix BuddyTV Spoilers ChatRory returns from London after the holidays. Lorelai is disappointed that Rory celebrated Christmas in London with Logan, but decides to have a “Christmas after Christmas” celebration as a new family complete with trees, decorations and shopping. Luke asks Lorelai to write a character recommendation letter for his custody battle with Anna over April. Source: The CW

From Ask Ausiello: Things certainly will get more complicated when Taylor’s French hubby Henri Michel (Sleeper Cell‘s Henri Lubatti) shows up to reclaim his wife and makes a startling revelation that could drive Ryan away for good.

Episode 4.08: The Earth Girls Are Easy Airdate: December 21, 2006: It’s New Year’s Eve in The O.C. and Ryan has planned a special surprise road trip for himself and Taylor, but when Summer confronts Seth about not making any plans, Ryan’s romantic getaway for two is spoiled. Meanwhile, Summer’s future rests in the hands of a raver, the gang meets on the way to Vegas. And the Bullit asks an old friend to take a look at Julie’s accounting. Guest Cast: Kevin Sorbo as Frank; Gary Grubbs as Bullit; and Brandon Quinn as Spencer. Source: FOX

Episode 4.09: The My Two Dads Airdate: January 4, 2007: More and huge info is starting to leak out about Kevin Sorbo’s character. Sorbo will play Frank Atwood, as in Ryan’s biological father. And Ryan is set to confront him during this episode. Also in this episode, Seth feels really confused and Will (played by Chris Borwn) plays the snare drum in the school’s band. Source: SpoilerFix.com

Episode 4.09: The My Two Dads Airdate: January 4, 2007: Kaitlin fails a class presentation and is forced to work with Will (guest-star Chris Brown), a smart band geek at Harbor. When Kaitlin thinks she can get Will to do her homework for her, he challenges her and sparks fly. Bound by their new commitment, Seth and Summer move forward with their plans, regardless of how they really feel. Meanwhile, Sandy confronts Frank on why he’s in Newport and Julie tells Kirsten of Frank’s true identity. When Frank comes to dinner at the Cohen house, Sandy channels some kid-chino. Guest Cast: Chris Brown as Will; Kevin Sorbo as Frank; and Bridget Newton as Ms. Tidey. Source: FOX

Episode 4.10: The French Connection Airdate: January 11, 2007: Taylor’s ex-husband gets a little too close to home while he is promoting his erotic memoir. After Henri-Michel tells Ryan about Taylor’s exciting life in France, Ryan questions their relationship. Seth visits Dr. Roberts in Seattle to ask for permission to marry Summer. Meanwhile, Summer reconnects Holly and a vision of her future in Newport. And Kaitlin realizes she likes Will (guest-star Chris Brown), but is concerned he thinks she’s too shallow. Special Guest-Stars: Chris Pratt as Che; Chris Brown as Will. Guest Cast: Henri Lubatti as Henri-Michel; Michael Nouri as Dr. Neil Roberts; Brandon Quinn as Spencer. Source: FOX

Supernatural:

Episode 2.10: Hunted Airdate: January 11, 2007: After Dean tells Sam what their father told him before he died, a distraught Sam sneaks off to Indiana without Dean. While there, Sam runs into Eva (guest star Katherine Isabelle), a psychic who confesses to Sam she sought him out to warn him of his impending death. Dean discovers Gordon (guest star Sterling K. Brown) is after Sam and races to find his brother in time to save him. Source: The CW

Desperate Housewives:

Doctors don’t think Jane will make it through the night in episode 3.13. She is battling an infection but her body is too weak to fight it. Mike’s lawyer thinks the amount of evidence against is client is too big, if Mike doesn’t plead guilty for involuntary manslaughter, he could be sentenced to life in prison or worse. If he goes with his lawyer’s plans, Mike could only be in jail for 5 years. Mike will actually consider this option. In episode 3.13, a man falls from the hospital roof onto the pavement, next to an ambulance and some paramedics taking a break. Was it suicide? A murder? Or an accident? Gaby goes to the ER for a fractured ankle. Source: SpoilerFix BuddyTV Spoilers Chat

The funeral in 3.14 is for Ian’s wife, Jane. At the funeral, Susan overhears two women say how they will try to date Ian now that he is free. Imagine the scene when Susan tells them they have no chance! Source: SpoilerFix BuddyTV Spoilers Chat

‘Twas the night before Chrismukkah,
when people worried through The O.C.
Because Ryan wasn’t stirring,
stuck in a coma was he.

Chrismukkah is always very special on The O.C., and this installment didn’t disappoint. This year they borrowed a popular page from the TV Christmas Handbook and did their own “alt-universe” spin on It’s a Wonderful Life. George Bailey stand-in Ryan was able to see what life in Newport would have been like if he never arrived there, and it wasn’t pretty. But it was funny. Funniest of all had to be Summer, Chester’s “mindless bimbo” of a bride-to-be. Every time the clueless, bling-loving junior Newpsie was on screen I cracked up. And although the save-the-earth Summer that we have come to know the past few months can be a bit of a downer, this episode showed how things would have been much worse if Summer had gone in the opposite direction.

Likewise, it showed Sandy going in a direction that strayed far from the ethical, crusading-for-the-little-guy Daddy Cohen we all know and love. (It reminded me of the dark, compromising road that Sandy was headed down last season with the bad Newport Group-hospital story line.) But this was a more amusing take on that Sandy, since we got to see a poster of Mayor Cohen posing with Arnold Schwarzenegger. Interesting that his “wife” Julie wasn’t really all that different in this skewed universe. She was her same old cheating and conniving self, interested in thongs — oops, I mean T.H.O.N.G. (aka, The Homeless of Newport. Go.) I kind of always wondered what the pairing of the equally outspoken Sandy and Julie would be like, so it was fun to see that for just one episode. Plus, their marriage sort of completed the transformation in which Sandy sold his soul to the devil.

Speaking of the devil, is Veronica Townsend the devil herself? That constantly critical woman is pure evil, in both the scenes that took place in reality and those in the alternate universe. It was bad enough that she didn’t want to see her daughter for Christmas, but to not want to be at her hospital bedside when she was in a coma? Like Ryan, I was proud of Taylor for telling her off, even if she only did it in her dreams. Although Taylor was in the same boat as Ryan coma-wise, she was sort of playing the part of a Clarence stand-in, acting as Ryan’s guide. And after the catharsis of yelling at her mother, it was almost like she earned her wings. Taylor can now simply accept her mother’s limitations and not let her mom upset her so much, as evidenced by Taylor’s reaction to her mom in the hospital.

And although I thought that Ryan had been free of Marissa for a few weeks now, I was wrong. Apparently down-on-himself Ryan was wondering that perhaps life would have been better for Marissa if he had never met her. But he was wrong. Turns out he really did rescue her — because of him, she got three more years to live and didn’t OD in Mexico. This show has done a really good job of balancing the humor with the comedy this season. The end of this episode, as it dealt more with Marissa, got more dramatic. On the one hand, I like how they didn’t simply dismiss the death of a main character in one quick episode — they’ve made her death a realistically lingering subject that they keep revisiting. On the other hand, I keep feeling like we’re being a little cheated on this subject. Just as we didn’t get any flashbacks to Marissa’s funeral earlier this season, tonight we didn’t get to hear exactly what her lost letter said. Julie’s summary of it didn’t quite cut it. I wasn’t expecting a Mischa Barton cameo like the Tate Donovan one we got last night (nice to see you, Jimmy Cooper!), but I wanted something more than Ryan reading the letter to himself on the beach. At least have him read it out loud (or in an internal voice-over), and have it say something memorable or profound. But that was not to be. Oh well… at least now it looks like he was finally able to say goodbye to Marissa and let her go.

Ryan sprang from his coma
after Marissa’s letter he read,
His family said all would be OK
as they gathered ‘round his bed.

Though unspoken, their actions exclaimed as the screen dimmed from bright:
Happy Chrismukkah to all, and to all a good night!

Gilmore Girls‘ Sally Struthers

Sally Struthers recently spoke with TV Guide and she discussed Gilmore Girls and the possibility of an 8th season, which could be without some characters, but who, Rory or Luke both were iffy on contract renewals, the show COULD NOT go on without THEM and still be Gilmore Girls.

TVGuide.com: In the way that she’s nosy, she reminded me a little of Babette.Struthers: Did she?

TVGuide.com: Yeah, because she has this warm personality but also has this ulterior motive. I’m a big Gilmore Girls fan.Struthers: Oh, don’t you love that show?

TVGuide.com: I really do.Struthers: The dialogue, the dialogue! It’s so fast and clever and dry.

TVGuide.com: But I’m disappointed that Babette hasn’t been in many episodes so far this season.Struthers: Well, let’s see, they’ve probably shot 10 shows by now, and I’ve been in four of them, so that’s pretty good.

TVGuide.com: Will she be showing up in future episodes?Struthers: You know something? I don’t know! When you’re not on a contract as a series regular, you don’t know when the phone’s going to ring. But I always look forward to it, and they always accommodate me, because quite often I’m somewhere doing a musical or a play, like I’m doing now.

TVGuide.com: Because yours is a recurring role, do you get to spend a lot of time with some cast members?Struthers: Well, my scenes usually are with one of the leads — Lorelai and Rory or Luke, but there are some cast members I’ve never met! [Laughs]

TVGuide.com: Really?Struthers: Yeah, I had someone come up to me once and say, “Hi, I’m on Gilmore Girls, too, but I’ve never been in a scene with you.” It’s shot like a movie — with one camera — and it takes eight working days to shoot one episode. [There’s] a day or two that you go in to film your scenes, and it isn’t the same day that some other characters [are filming]. The kids who Rory goes to school with at Yale? I haven’t met any of them!

TVGuide.com: Well, Babette knows everything that’s going on. Is it fun to play a town gossip?Struthers: It is! And I don’t know if you saw the season opener when she talks about herself and says that she has a loud voice and people tell her she needs to talk softer? She’s even loud when she says it. [In Babette’s voice] “I need to talk softer!” I know somebody named Marissa, who has a very loud voice, so there’s a little bit of Marissa in the character I’m playing, and there’s a lot of Ruth Gordon.

TVGuide.com: Babette really cracks me up. I love when she gets on Luke’s nerves, or asks Lorelai a million questions. There’s something overwhelming but also endearing about her.Struthers: Yeah. I just love all these characters. When you’re young, they try to fit you into some sort of ingenue role, but I was never that because I’ve always been a comedian. So as you get older and they offer you these delicious, quirky roles, you just jump into them with glee. They’re much more interesting to play, usually, than the lead… and a lot less pressure!

TVGuide.com: Do you have a favorite episode?Struthers: I think maybe when our cat, Cinnamon, died, and we had the wake at Babette’s house. I loved doing that one, because everything was scaled down to her height.

TVGuide.com: Have you heard anything about this being the last season?Struthers: Oh, rumors galore. It’s totally up in the air, and I don’t think it’s going to be decided until the spring. And then it’s still going to be up to the CW — whether or not they would be willing to let it go forward with one or two characters missing and take the show in a whole other direction.

Spoilers: Executive producer John Shiban reveals: I can say yes, we have plans of bringing [Jeffrey Dean Morgan] back and having Dad make an appearance. It’s not in the near future, but as is obvious on our show, the dead are not always dead, and we’ve heard about where he may or may not be as you recall if you saw the last episode that aired, “Crossroad Blues”, where the demon said Dad’s down in hell suffering. Yeah, demons sometimes lie, but I don’t know. We will deal with that and you will see him again, but I’m not sure when. Indeed [Sam and Dean will get love interests]! There is an episode coming up where Sam will actually get very much involved with a young lady, but the trick with them as the fans know is they’re always on the move, so relationships are hard to establish and hard to maintain. But we’re going to try to deal with that issue and let Sam have some emotion there. We do have a very big mythology episode coming up where you’ll learn a lot more about Sam and you’re going to learn about what Dad whispered to Dean about Sam on his deathbed. And we’re going to find that out very soon, we’re not going to wait until the end of the year to reveal it. I’m excited about that, and that’ll really tee up a very interesting endgame for the end of the season. Source:BuddyTV

From TVGuide: December 7, 2006: Croatoan

I was hoping we’d get the answer to what John told Dean in the hospital, but we didn’t. We got that killer cliff-hanger instead — the one we’re going to have to live with for who knows how long. Stupid hiatus. My thoughts were kind of everywhere with “Croatoan” — hence, my column’s pretty much going to be the same way.

How great was the “previously”? The whole “special” Sam montage that led into the whole scary Dean section? Very cool.

How great were Sam and Dean in this episode? Brotherly love abounded. It’s always at the core, even when the two are making each other angry. All it takes is a scene like the one wherein a possibly infected Sammy tells Dean to leave and keep going. Dean states: “Who says I want to?” Yeah, I was pretty much done right there. There were so many good moments between the Winchester boys. That’s what I want to keep seeing as the season continues. Never veer too far from that, and I’ll be a happy camper. How about when Dean threw Sarge the keys to the Impala and decided to stay with his brother? For some reason, I really liked the part where Dean locked the door. It just seemed to me that if Sam was going out, Dean wanted to as well. Did you hear the music playing underneath this scene? That was the music that played in “Devil’s Trap” when they first got to the cabin, and Dean opened up to Sammy about how it scared him what he was willing to do for his family. Well, here’s Dean again, and he’s got this “If he goes, I go” mentality. He’s even willing to give up the life he loves in order to keep Sammy safe.

I think Dean’s suggesting a break or his saying that he’s tired of this life is more for Sammy’s benefit. I think he just wants to hide Sammy from what’s out there and what’s after him. Maybe there’s some truth to what he was telling Sam about wanting to see the Grand Canyon; but to me, it was all for Sammy’s sake.

Yeah, Dean can get very scary. At times it’s really painful to watch. I kept thinking that when he shot the wife. Of course, that’s after he shot and killed her husband first. I know, they were infected, but he does tend to switch into robot-mode often. Sammy’s needling Dean with questions and trying to get him to open up has been a consistent thing this season. I love how Sammy jokes about it, but in a serious way, as if he were saying: “I’m gonna get to the bottom of this sooner or later, so might as well tell me now and save us all some unnecessary pain.”

My sister e-mailed me immediately after she watched “Croatoan” to tell me that she’s convinced Sammy’s part demon. It got me thinking. Look at some of the evidence: 1) He’s immune to this demonic virus; 2) He’s not susceptible to mind control; 3) In a very extreme case, he’s exhibited some telekinesis tendencies; and 4) He’s got those “weirdo visions,” as Dean affectionately likes to call them. Makes you wonder. Has the last year been one big test? Maybe that’s what killing Jessica was all about, to see how he’d react. If he didn’t have Dean, he probably would have reacted in a different way, in a way the Demon would have preferred. However, the brothers ground each other; why do you think Dean didn’t end up shooting male Meg? Although, he’ll probably shoot himself if he ever finds out how close they were to another one of the Demon’s henchmen. At one point during the episode, Sam asked Dean to give him a gun so he could off himself: “Dean, I’m not going to become one of those things.” Me thinks Sammy may not have any choice in the matter, what do you think?

How great was the twist that this whole demonic germ warfare stuff pretty much seemed all set up to test Sammy? Will he be immune to this demonic virus? The answer is yes, he’s immune, and now the yellow-eyed Demon knows, thanks to the male Meg. Speaking of the late demoness…

How great is it that John Shiban wrote the episode? It’s fitting. After all, he did write “Scarecrow” — the one where we first met Meg. And what did she do at the end just before credits popped up? She speared a trucker’s neck, let the blood pour into the chalice or whatever it was, and “spoke” to the Demon. Again, consider me slow, but I did not see that guy being under the influence like that. The blood-swirling was a lot more believable this time around, but I gotta say, I’m upset he took out poor Bobby Hosea like that. Speaking of the former Pensacola Wings of Gold actor…

How great were his scenes with Jensen? They had some good comic timing between them. The scene where they had the guns trained on each other was hilarious. They just seemed comfortable in their scenes, and I really wanted Hosea to become a recurring character. Of course, all those hopes were dashed!

How great was all the gunplay we got? They were all over the place — in Sammy’s visions, in the clinic, in the Impala, at the Tanner house. But better than all the gunplay? The Impala in action. I felt like I was watching the Turino from Starsky & Hutch make a quick getaway from the bad guys. I also liked how Sammy flashed back to his vision after Dean asked him how sure he was that the town they were looking for was in Oregon.

Topics to Discuss:
— The possessed dude doesn’t think any more tests are necessary. What does that mean? What’s the Demon’s next step? And what exactly does he mean by “nothing left behind”? I don’t think it just meant that Sarge guy.
— What are we supposed to think about Dean getting so scary all the time?
— What are your theories on Sammy?
— What do you think Dean’s going to tell him?
— How do you think Sam’s going to react?
— Their U.S. Marshals aliases: ZZ Top band members

So it’s really no surprise that Taylor keeps a blog, one that no less details “the erotic memoirs of a soulful college girl” (even though technically she’s not in college at the moment). What is surprising is how this show manages to keep Taylor and Ryan’s budding relationship so refreshingly adorable. I love how Taylor doesn’t even realize that Ryan’s asking her out at first, and gets all apologetic about their kiss (“I’m a lip-biter… sometimes I draw blood”). She’s self-deprecating, while he’s inadvertently insulting, calling her “weird” and “strange.” She stages elaborate soap-opera schemes (“What if I did rent a homosexual for the evening, and pay him with rare collectibles from Asian cinema?”), while he has fantasies involving roller skates and soapy window-washing that Seth deems “pedestrian” and “average.” This opposites-attract plotline isn’t an original concept, but it is something new for Ryan, and it’s just what he (and The O.C.) needed. In the past, pairing Ryan with mopey girlfriends (Marissa, Lindsay, Sadie) resulted in things soon getting boring. (Don’t get me wrong, I’ve always been a Ryan fan.) Taylor, on the other hand, seems to really keep Ryan on his toes. It’s as if her inherent comedy spills over to him and makes him funny, too. Now, cute can easily cross the line into annoying territory, but I don’t think that’s gonna happen here. This show has managed to keep Seth and Summer’s relationship cute yet annoying-free for years. Plus, I think Ryan and Taylor have the necessary chemistry to be not only cute but hot as well.

Now let’s talk about that original teddy bear of a couple, Seth and Summer. I’m all for continuing education, but if Summer’s forced leave from Brown and Seth’s voluntary delay of the spring semester at RISD means that we no longer have to suffer through their strained long-distance relationship and stolen-bunny story lines, then to hell with college. Though I am upset that Che (or should I call him Winchester?) basically got away with putting all of the blame on Summer for their crimes. It’s not fair that she has to pay a steep price while he pays nothing. But how sweet of Seth to try to play Ryan and seek out Che to beat him up. There was actually quite a bit of role-playing going on in last night’s episode, what with both Kirsten and Sandy auditioning to be the “substitute Seth” for a needy Ryan. I was glad those two renewed their vows at the end of the episode, even if it was unplanned. Their romance going rocky was one of the low points of last season, so this show definitely needs the Cohens firmly together.

Speaking of low points, I’m not too crazy about Kaitlin’s new classmates. Snotty Riley and her clique of wannabes all felt so phony and one-dimensional. I still like Kaitlin, though. And the party she threw was fun, but mostly because of the last-minute chaperones. I laughed out loud when Taylor, shopping around her Pictionary and her “get high on life” slogan, had water thrown on her. (Although it was way too much liquid to be a drink – maybe someone jumped in the pool? Whatever it was, it was funny). Meanwhile, Che was passing out condoms and don’t-drink-and-drive messages, while Summer was looking out for the safety of her tanning chair… shades of the old Summer? Perhaps she’ll be back just in time for the return of another O.C. classic: Chrismukkah, which arrives next week. Only seven shopping days left, better hurry!

From E!Online: The O.C.: OMG, you guys, The O.C. is, like, funny again—like, season-one, laugh-out-loud funny. Everyone had been saying it’s gone through a rebirth, but I really wasn’t all that impressed with the first few eps this fall. However, in the last two weeks, Newport has come alive again. Truly alive. I mean, where do I begin? First of all, Kaitlin Cooper can deliver: five kegs, a quarter ounce and no parents? We may have lost one Cooper kid, but I’m thinking we traded up! And then there’s Taylor. So what if she did rent a homosexual to pretend he was in love with her and then paid him with rare collectibles from Asian cinema? So what?! She’s fantastic and totally dropped a rad Felicity ref when talking about updating her blog. Yeah, she did. What else? Seth, when going to attack Che, decided he’d “borrow one from the Julie Cooper playbook and wait till Che was asleep, then smother him with a pillow.” Ahahahahaha! Oh, and the Bullet called Sandy Cohen a He-bro, when chatting about the “Jew-run media.” A He-bro! Josh Schwartz, you’re back. You’re really back! Dude, I missed you.

This season’s episodes of the OC, have been hilarious, it is in my opinion some of the best writing on TV right now, and although I love Grey’s too, it is much better, and you feel better after watching too! That’s why it is so incomprehensible that the viewers are not tuning in. Here are some the best reasons to watch it or return to the OC:

The Ryan-Taylor storyline is just adorable we haven’t seen anything that cute on TV for a long time, it’s Winnie and Kevin from the Wonders Years cute. But its not just that without Marissa the show is lighter, and Kaitlin gets along better with everyone, especially her Mother, because she is so like her, her cool attitude is better than Marissa’s constant biterness.

And of course Seth and Summer are like confortable friends to watch. And although Che is trouble, Chris Pratt makes him loveable eventhough he got Summer kicked out of Brown. That was inevitable though, for the show to work everyone has to be in the OC.

The OC Spoilers:

Episode 4.07: The Chrismukk-huh?Airdate: December 14, 2006

12/06 – Remember the tease I dropped in my 100th column about Sandy and Julie being husband and wife? Well, that’s one of three marital bombshells that’ll be dropped in next week’s Chrismukkah episode. But naturally, there’s a twist. (Hint: It involves Taylor, Ryan, a ladder and a hospital.) Source:Ask Ausiello @ TV Guide

11/28 – What the? Huh? It’s Chrismukkah once again in THE O.C., complete with a unique holiday visit from Jimmy Cooper (guest star Tate Donovan). After Ryan and Taylor have an accident while hanging holiday lights, they realize that everything is not as it seems in The O.C., and they will do whatever it takes to make The O.C. right again. Source: FOX

Episode 4.08: The Earth Girls Are EasyAirdate: December 21, 2006

12/06 – Does the thought of Seth and Summer having a baby give you the warm-and-fuzzies? If so, the Dec. 21 episode is not to be missed. Source:Ask Ausiello @ TV Guide

12/02 – It’s New Year’s Eve in The O.C. and Ryan has planned a special surprise road trip for himself and Taylor, but when Summer confronts Seth about not making any plans, Ryan’s romantic getaway for two is spoiled. Meanwhile, Summer’s future rests in the hands of a raver, the gang meets on the way to Vegas. And the Bullit asks an old friend to take a look at Julie’s accounting. Guest Cast: Kevin Sorbo as Frank; Gary Grubbs as Bullit; and Brandon Quinn as Spencer. Source: FOX

12/06 – Remember a while back I told you about an episode that would be set a few years back when the teens are 10 years old and the adults are between 18 and 20 years old? Well, to the list of people I told you we would see younger you can add a 10-year-old Luke, 10-year-old Holly Fisher (from Season 1), and 18-year-old Taryn. There are still no plans for a 10-year-old Marissa… I’ll have more about this flashback during the week and in next chat. But I can tell you that we will see young Summer recite her poem about wishing to be a mermaid… A psychic will tell Summer and Seth that they are not made for one another. Source: SpoilerFix BuddyTV Spoilers Chat

Lorelai and Christopher pretending to actually be living in the house they were looking at, so like the Re-max commercial but without the indecency!

Rory trying to cheat the system, did she really think anybody would believe Logan was her brother, the problems of dating the campus’ hot shot, it would take 5 years for him to be forgotten.

The wedding planning, classic Emily, classic but irritating Lorelai, can she ever be agreeable to her mother.

Luke, Lorelai and a baby, enough said!

A Jealous, Christopher, and a Jealous Logan (how can suave and handsome Logan be afraid of Marty?)

Logan not being able to lie to Lucy about Rory and Marty knowing eachother, sure he was just too jealous!

Emily’s heartwarming, and so truthful advice to Lorelai.

And of course the Luke and Chrisopher fight.

Spoilers:
12/06 – Christopher is said to find the letter Lorelai wrote about Luke and what he reads doesn’t suit well with him. Source: SpoilerFix BuddyTV Spoilers Chat 12/04 – Luke continues the custody procedures but needs Lorelai to write a letter as character reference. Source: SpoilerFix.com

The story plays out the same way, with Luke running errands for Emily and Chris throwing a pity party for himself. But it’s my understanding that Lorelai’s epiphany will be more gradual. The end result, of course, will be the same: Luke in, Christopher out. Speaking of Episode 13, in a Gilmore first, nearly the entire hour will take place in the hospital. I hear there’s some great Lorelai/Emily stuff. It’s about damn time. Source:Ask Ausiello @ TV Guide

From TVGuide: December 5, 2006: Let’s Get Ready to Rumble!

Ladies and gentleman! In this corner, we have lightweight Christopher Hayden! Prep-school flunkie! Former deadbeat dad! Total metrosexual! Newly minted millionaire! Recently married to Lorelai Gilmore! And in that corner, we have heavyweight Luke Danes! Diner owner! Public-school grad! New father to a teen he didn’t know existed! Total tough guy! Regular middle-class Joe! Recently engaged to Lorelai Gilmore! Let’s get ready to ruuuuuumble!

Now, I’m not one for violence, and I usually look away when things get brutal. But this was one smack-down I was not going to miss. I was shocked that Chris, the kind of guy who gets manicures and facials, could even hold his own against lunky Luke. But he got in a few good punches before Luke socked him right across the jaw, knocking him to the ground. That didn’t stop scrappy Chris from lunging back at Luke. (Nothing says Merry Christmas like two grown men rolling around the town square, taking down the Stars Hollow Christmas Tree and crushing all the decorations.) The best part, really, is that neither one of them won. They both got up, dusted themselves off, circled each other like two rabid dogs, then turned and walked away. Which only means one thing: This ain’t over. Not even close.

We all know why Luke is pissed. He lost his woman, literally, overnight. But Chris? What’s he got against “the diner guy”? (OK, Luke did punch him in the face once, but Chris knew he deserved it, and let it go.) Well, for starters, Lorelai won’t leave the house that Luke rebuilt. Chris did seem pretty cool about staying, but living there has to creep him out just a little bit. And it didn’t help that Lorelai, Luke and Doula made such a happy-looking family. Did you see the look on Chris’ face when he saw them together outside the market? (By the way, I stand corrected: Last week I said Chris didn’t want more kids. But that was before he saw his wife cooing over Luke’s newborn niece. Nothing like a little jealousy to get the testosterone flowing.) And I can understand why Chris would be mad that Lorelai planned an entire wedding for Luke (in one day, remember), but she didn’t want to have one with him. (Though he is forgetting a few important things: Luke wasn’t involved in any of the wedding plans; now Lorelai has to deal with pushy Emily. Can you blame her for not wanting a froofy wedding?) But Chris was right about one thing. When Lorelai told her mother she eloped to avoid a wedding, he quickly corrected her. “No, we eloped because we love each other and want to be together forever.” For a second, I actually felt bad for him. Clearly, that’s what pushed Chris over the edge. But that didn’t give him the right to try to punch Luke’s (and Stars Hollow’s) lights out.

Ever since Chris quickly moved in on a fragile Lorelai, someone needed to help her find her footing. And surprisingly, it was Emily Gilmore, the only one smart enough to notice that the marriage is in trouble. When she told Lorelai that marriage is serious business and is all about compromise, she wasn’t exactly imparting pearls of wisdom. But then she reminded Lorelai that her trademark pride and her need to win every argument will destroy the marriage. Those words prove that no one knows her better than her mother, even if Lorelai is loathe to admit it. Perhaps this will send her on the right path. Because neither Luke nor Chris can help her do that.

From EW: Boys Will Be Boors

On ”Gilmore Girls,” Logan ruins a dinner with Rory and her friends, and Christopher picks a fight with Lorelai and then Lukeby Karen Valby

I’m all mixed up! This week, everything up was down, right was left. My allegiances have all gone topsy-turvy. We all knew it was coming: The writers were going to pull a switcheroo on us. But who knew it would come so fast and furious, from the first scene no less! If I harbored any delusions that the Gilmore Girls writers might actually want Lorelai to end up with Christopher, they showed their hand in the opening scene, in which Lorelai and Chris made cute while looking at a house, a new house far, far from the familiar confines of Stars Hollow. However charming some of us think Chris is, if he at all contributes to Lorelai leaving Stars Hollow, he must die. Sure, he was understanding about her wanting to stay put, but now he’s got us wary. And when online writers are wary, they strike.

Christopher, you son of a bitch! (David Sutcliffe, you’re still okay in my book. And we all know it’s those fickle writers that made you turn into the devil this week. But devil you are!) Mr. Hey, Lor, I’d Wait 80 Years for You/I Give Good Lovin’/I’m Funny and Loaded snapped after witnessing a tender moment between Luke and Lorelai and Luke’s new niece. (Speaking of, I know babies are healers and all, but wouldn’t there still be some frostiness between Luke and Lorelai? Last we saw, he got a load of her wedding ring at the hospital. Doesn’t she deserve a couple cold-shoulder scenes?)

Anyway, Chris narrowed his now wormy eyes and, later, made Lorelai pay. He pounced in bed and said they should make a baby. Kudos to the writers for this creepy but very affecting scene. Chris and Lorelai’s conversation about having another child shone a light on the gulf that still separates them as a couple. Of course she’d be wary about getting knocked up again, you dope! You ditched her before, and she doesn’t really trust that that won’t happen again. And ridiculous comments like saying that the ”last one turned out pretty good” don’t help. Lorelai calmly, effectively took Christopher to task, firmly reminding him that Rory didn’t just ”turn out” okay. A lot of hard work went into raising her, you doof. He looked sheepish, but the way a teenager looks sorry after they blow curfew and come hope smelling like Mad Dog. It’s not my fault I’m late — there was so much traffic.

So Lorelai is spooked, and Christopher’s pissed. And for the rest of the episode, he played passive-aggressive, sneering about Luke (”that diner guy”), blowing a fuse in front of Emily during a wedding-party planning session. Emily (best line of the night: ”Stephanie Pendleton promised to cook her husband lasagna once a month. Who wants to hear the word lasagna at a wedding?”) looked worried, and rightfully so. Christopher has gone bad, and now who among us can root for him?

Speaking of evil, how about that Anna? I just don’t buy it. She is a broadly drawn bitch from hell, and while I understand that custody issues are a bear, this whole subplot strikes me as pretty ridiculous. Wicked Anna is so steamed that she won’t even let Luke visit with April anymore. Thankfully, April was kept off camera this episode, so we didn’t have to witness her screaming and throwing fabric around her mother’s house in protest. I appreciate Luke’s determination to be a part of April’s life, but the writers aren’t doing a good job of raising the stakes for me here. As Anna’s cold voice curdled on the line, and Luke realized April was being kept from him against her will, all I could think was ”Save April, save the…enh, never mind. Lose April, and the world would probably be better off.”

Up at Yale, Logan paid Rory a visit. Now I know there was something in my ravioli last night, because I kind of thought he was the voice of reason for much of the episode. The two met up with Lucy, who is only half as annoying when she’s without Olivia and was just shy of likable when she said that she’d hug Logan but her pockets were full of Apple Jacks. Marty stumbled into the mix — Marty who I no longer think is kind of cute in a nerdy, earnest way, but kind of shifty eyed in a dangerous stalker way — and Logan caught up on Marty and Rory’s sham that they never knew each other. Logan didn’t get it and later rightly chastised Rory. Rory, why did you ever go along with this dumb routine? Signs are pointing to…you suck.

The four stupidly met up for dinner later, and at the end Logan — reeling from that unnecessary comment from Marty about trust funds? — came clean to Lucy. Lucy had a very strange shrieking fit and fled; Logan curled his lip in disgust and headed back to New York; poor Rory was dumbstruck. Rory, stop batting the china blues and take some responsibility! But however in the right he was, this whole scene proved again that Logan has a worrisome mean streak and he reveals it often. I can’t forgive him for that, although this episode was the most I’ve ever liked him.

I also can’t fully forgive Gilmore Girls for degenerating into hack Dawson’s Creek territory. But like a woman stuck in a bad marriage, I persevere. So while Christopher and Luke battled in the town square, a hatless Luke landing all of his punches solidly, and Christopher sucking air on the ground like a stuck pig, Emily surprised Lorelai on her porch with some stern advice. Her mother admitted that Christopher was immature, often foolish, and a man prone to bad choices. Emily, you clear-eyed wonder woman who sees all, you do not live in a bubble! He is all those things, and yet, like Emily, I kind of like him too (although the writers made it near impossible this week). She continued to give Lorelai a moving speech about marriage, and the need to compromise and weather storms. She warned Lorelai that this marriage could go up in smoke within seconds if her daughter wasn’t careful, and that Lorelai could easily end up alone again. Which, if Luke continues to mop the floor with Chris’ face, ”We Wish You a Merry Christmas” serving as his personal ”Eye of the Tiger” fight song, she just might anyways.

As we’re in reruns next week, I am bursting with questions. Is Luke bound for New Mexico? Will Lorelai heed her mother’s advice and stick out an adult relationship for the first time or realize she jumped the gun by eloping? Is the marriage even legal? Did Logan go overboard spilling about Rory and Marty’s connection? Does Lucy remind you of someone famous but you just can’t figure out who it is? Will Rory be so struck by the realization that, yes, maybe she isn’t that good of a friend to girls her own age that she’ll finally, finally give Lane a call and ask how that, you know, pregnancy thing is going? Will Christopher ever retrieve his scarf?

Sure, Taylor was enamored with Ryan for rescuing her from her loveless marriage. And she appreciated the beauty of the sight of a shirtless Ryan. But what was the telltale sign that she had truly fallen for the guy? She actually thought the king of brooding was funny. And while Ryan’s far from Seth when it comes to witty retorts, Taylor has no problems in the humor department. Becoming someone’s uncertified sleep therapist is definitely a novel way to go about seducing someone. And she gets bonus points for the elaborateness of her approach: 50 candles, flannel pajamas and an offer to be a warm body. Her false denial when Ryan finally asked her whether she liked him was priceless, as well as somewhat believable. I can’t say that I fault him for not picking up on things initially — Taylor is a little bit kooky, and she’s always jumped into projects (like high school committees) with tremendous gusto, so attacking his insomnia with such tenacity wasn’t out of the ordinary for her. Nevertheless, there was no need for Ryan to be so mean when he told Seth, “I’m not gonna date Taylor.” It was his tone that was especially hurtful. Yeah, he thought she was out of earshot, but still. I really felt for Taylor at that moment as he was crushing her heart. Luckily Seth was able to convince her to continue being her persistent self, and Ryan finally realized that Taylor’s feelings for him were mutual. But I was having so much fun watching Taylor trying to get Ryan to like her that I could have taken a few more weeks of that. I can only begin to imagine the other schemes she would have cooked up.

One person Taylor could have turned to for advice was Julie Cooper, the queen of scheming seductions (and much more successful at them than Kaitlyn, who offered Taylor boring advice and got nowhere with her too-old-for-her-anyway tennis instructor). I loved how Julie was momentarily offended that “Sandy served me up like a piece of meat,” when first hearing about the Bullet, before asking in her next breath, “How rich is he?” I think dating a father and a son is a new one for her, as is dating someone her daughter likes. (Luke doesn’t count, because Marissa had already tossed him aside by the time Julie got to him.) Like Ryan with Taylor, Julie was oblivious that Kaitlyn liked her tennis instructor (funny how Ryan and Julie are so often on the same page this season), and Kaitlyn had to suffer for it. The situation was bad enough when Kaitlyn was rejected by her crush, but then seeing her mom with him was like having salt rubbed in the wound. (Though Kaitlyn should have taken some satisfaction in having one of the funniest lines of the night, asking Julie’s “personal trainer,” whom she found in her kitchen at breakfast, “Are you my new daddy?”)

As hurtful as Julie was, her actions were not intended to be meanspirited. However, the same cannot be said for Che. Mr. Everwood turned out to be no real friend to Summer — which is a shame, because up until last night I had liked the guy. It was bad enough that he basically convinced her to help him commit a crime (breaking and entering the biology room, stealing the rabbits to free them). But then, after she protected him in front of the dean, he stabbed her in the back by blaming the whole rabbit fiasco on her. To make matters worse, he twisted the knife further by pinning on her other incidents in which she played no part. Things don’t look good for Summer in terms of the disciplinary actions she faces. I hope she can clear her name, or at the very least make sure Che pays for what he did. Otherwise, this might be a Summer-less winter at Brown.

From TVGuide: November 30, 2006: Don’t Stand So Close to Me Last season, back in April, I made a comment that I was officially old since Mare Winningham was playing a soon-to-be grandmother. That’s because, even though I know she was Oscar-nominated for Georgia, I will always think of Mare as Wendy, the gal that Billy (Rob Lowe) discovered was wearing a girdle in St. Elmo’s Fire. Are you with me here? But it was good to see her back tonight as Susan Grey, the current wife of Meredith’s dad, Thatcher, and the timing made sense since Susan and Thatcher’s daughter, Molly (Mandy Siegfried), was there for an emergency C-section. I won’t refer to Susan as Meredith’s stepmother since Meredith doesn’t seem to want to associate herself with Susan and Molly: “You are not my family.” Oh, Meredith. So harsh. But I have friends who are in the same boat — they don’t really want to become close with their father’s new family. I did kind of want Meredith to take Susan up on her offer to become part of their family. What made things better was the poignant ending scene between Meredith and her actual mother, Ellis (Kate Burton). As soon as Meredith hugged Ellis and said “Mommy,” something she obviously doesn’t make a habit of doing, Ellis knew Meredith was indeed her daughter and said: “Meredith.” Chills.

How many of you could relate to Bailey and most of the interns tonight and were annoyed that Burke and Cristina weren’t punished for their unethical behavior? The administrators at Seattle Grace apparently do not care when their doctors or interns screw up — Izzie is still there. I did enjoy Webber finally yelling at Burke: “I passed the torch to you, and you blew it out!” Webber also redeemed the situation a bit with his talk with Bailey, telling her she raised the interns like they were her children and that “some of them turn out like you, Dr. Bailey.” I still don’t buy it that Burke and Cristina weren’t punished somehow. You could look at it this way — Burke did not get to replace Webber as Webber wished (much to the frustration of Webber and, I’m sure when she finds out, his wife, Adele). Speaking of Cristina, it made perfect sense that Dr. Hahn (Brooke Smith) bonded with Cristina and said: “You remind me of me — focused, intense, cold — and I don’t mean that in a bad way. Cold is good.”

I loved how Izzie treated Mark Sloan: “I don’t do coffee.” Her tough demeanor and her request to Sloan to give her something more meaningful to do besides “fetch, stay and heel” really had an effect on him since he asked her to scrub in for the first time in a while. Bailey, the “common thread,” was, of course, not havin’ it.

Best story line was George’s father surviving his risky aortic-valve replacement surgery. All this time, the only thing I’ve done when it comes to George Dzundza‘s portrayal of George’s dad is list the actor’s name. That’s because I was never really impressed — to me, it was because the Archie Bunker-like character wasn’t anything to write home about. Until tonight. Can you say “Emmy nomination”? I was blown away by the scene in which Mr. O’Malley asked George why he was so angry at everyone, “especially when the person you’re really angry at is me.” Here I was, crying while watching a character I usually would feel nothing for. I was still beyond annoyed by George’s brothers, but now I want to see more of George Dzundza as Mr. O.

Awesome scene with Burke giving George the play-by-play when George chose to look away during his father’s surgery, especially when Burke told George that Cristina was performing a running whip stitch on Mr. O’Malley: “She’s done it before.” Burke’s warmth made George say, “Thank you, Dr. Burke” — it was great to see the two of them get along. It just made me think of what could’ve been going through the minds of T.R. Knight and Isaiah Washington at the time.

Every now and then, we are greeted with over-the-top bizarre patients, like last season’s man who thought he was pregnant. Tonight, we got the conjoined adult identical twins, Jake and Pete Weitzman, played by real-life identical twins Jason and Randy Sklar. I’ve heard of brothers who are joined at the hip, but this was ridiculous. Sorry — had to say it. I’m just trying to picture Jake having sex with his girlfriend, Elena (Jennifer Aspen), while Pete “took a nap.” It did not surprise me, then, that we discovered Elena was actually more in love with Pete, essentially picking him when Jake forced her to choose. Bailey cracked me up when she teased the interns with, “You still think Yang got the better case?” Just as I will always think of Mare Winningham as the girdled Wendy, Jennifer Aspen (even though I know she’s played lots of roles in her career) will always be Daphne, the stripper with the heart of gold (and eventual mother of Charlie’s baby daughter) on Party of Five to me. Nice moment when Jake and Pete reached over and held hands after the successful separation.

I liked that all four patients survived their surgeries tonight, that Burke finally allowed Derek to give him medical advice (which will hopefully lead to Derek fixing Burke’s hand) and Cristina got back on the elevator with Burke (even though he was with Derek). It was a pleasant way to end it for us fans of the show while we await the next new episode… in January! It’s repeat central for all of December. According to my trusty ABC source, here is a listing of the episodes and their airdates:

From TVGuide: November 28, 2006: What’s the Word? Avuncular? Poor Dean O’Dell. Never thought I’d be typing those words, but he was actually being nice to Veronica when he was bullied into reinstating the frat houses, egged by the Lilith House girls, discovered that his wife was cheating on him and then shot in the head by an unknown person. Well, I guess we know what the next big mystery is. Any thoughts on whodunit? So far, the list of suspects includes the wife, Professor Landry, that cigar-smoking dude, any of the yolkers over at the Lilith House, TA Tim and I’m sure several others — after all, this show is known for its misdirection. My question is, if it was Professor Landry or TA Tim (who has been known to cover for his mentor), did they use Veronica’s plan for a perfect murder to do it?

While I’ll admit that my guess of the Hearst rapist’s identity was wrong, I feel a little better that at least RA Moe was involved and not completely creepy and shady for no reason. There was just something off about the way he doled out tea and sympathy, plus he had access to everything with his RA keys and the pick-up-the-drunk-girl service. I never would have guessed the Mercer connection. I was completely snowed by the explanation that he was on the radio at those times and had an alibi. It was interesting, though, that while the Lilith girls blamed the rapes on the frat houses, no frat boys were actually responsible for them. For me, the best part of Mercer being the guilty party was seeing Logan’s response. He got himself arrested for vandalizing in order to get tossed in the same cell with Mercer and Moe. That can’t end well.

I hated to see it happen, but I understood why Logan broke up with Veronica. His whole speech pretty much broke my heart. “We could have a tough but survivable amount of pain now, or stay together and deal with an unbearable amount of pain later. I vote for the pain now. I’m always here if you need anything, but you never need anything.” Ugh. I felt like he was breaking up with me. Veronica seemed to handle it well until her shower breakdown. For a minute there, I was worried that she wasn’t that broken up over the split. She seemed somewhat surprised at first that he was calling it quits, but I was surprised that she was so clueless as to how she’d hurt him by ignoring him and by flipping out at his attempts to protect her. “So the boy can still smile, it’s been a week since I’ve seen teeth.” That coupled with the fact that she was annoyed that he wasn’t waiting for her outside her criminology class, didn’t really seem to jive with her recent bitchy, er, independent attitude. Regardless, I still think they are meant for each other in the long run. It will be interesting to see them apart at college for now.

Aside from the heartbreak, this episode was pretty much perfect for me. It gave Parker a chance to help Veronica and show how she’s changed. Piz got a chance to display his wacky, distracting dance movies; Wallace got a chance to show off his fun best-friend skills; Weevil got a chance to do something; Keith got a chance to show again why he’s a great detective and an amazing father; and best of all, Mac got a chance to be her funny self and appear in an episode. Loved the look on her face when the guy approached her and told her she was a “major minor” and offered her a drink. If the “Ask me about my STD” T-shirt hadn’t been enough of a sign, that glare really did it. Oh, and while Sheriff Lamb didn’t make an actual appearance, his presence was felt when Keith staunchly disobeyed his request to keep Veronica there to make a statement against Mercer, and when Professor Landry made that offhanded remark related to “the local sheriff bit the dust” in one of the perfect-murder papers. Gee, I wonder who could have written that one?

Here are some of my favorite lines:

“I think all the glitter has come off my porn-star tube top.”
“You have more faith in mankind than I do.”
“Very good, No. 1 daughter. You might make a detective yet.”
“I always get stuck blowing up the pity balloons.”
“Are you kidding me? The Pi Sig Megapocalypse? Hump the furniture, party back to the Stone Age, 50-keg bacchanalia? ”
“Cagney and Pastey.”
“You know how I feel about soup. It’s a side dish.”
“He’s a master debater.”

From TVGuide: November 28, 2006: Knit One, Purl Two Quick: What’s the first thing you think of when you see someone knitting? What about an entire town full of people knitting, huge balls of yarn in Stars Hollow Square, and Sookie cooking up balls of spaghetti speared with bread sticks? Okay, we get it. This one is about children. A little too heavy-handed this time around. (Meanwhile, what town actually holds a knit-a-thon to save a beetle-infested bridge? Don’t most New Englanders raffle off romantic swag like intimate candlelit dinners for two, midnight hay rides and weekend stays at cozy B&Bs?)

So, of course, Liz finally had her baby. I loved how Luke rushed right over as she was delivering — at home, natch. Did you catch that huge smile when he first held his niece, Doula? (With a name like that, I hope this kid will pack a mean punch on the playground.) I don’t think I’ve seen Luke that happy since he and Lorelai kissed on the gazebo the night they got engaged. Good thing, because holding that newborn finally lit a fire under his butt. I was pretty sure he wasn’t going to let Anna take April to New Mexico without some sort of argument. But I was not prepared for the big confrontation at Anna’s house. Could you believe how livid he was? He said all the right things — that April was his daughter too, that he has rights as her father, and that he’d fight Anna if he had to. Finally! (By the way, this was Scott Patterson’s best scene in… I don’t know how many episodes.) Now, if only Luke fought like that for Lorelai, maybe she wouldn’t be tiptoeing around Stars Hollow with her new husband Christopher, receiving chilly welcomes from Babette and Miss Patty. And she wouldn’t have to set Chris up on “man-dates” with Jackson, either. (By the way, when did he suddenly become Mr. Popular? I find Jackson slightly less grating than Taylor — and not by much. But I’ll give him props for the whole soil-and-crop chat at the bar. Chris was smart enough to figure out the analogy, and later parrot it back to Lorelai as his own. Smooooooth.)

Speaking of smooth: nice of Chris to put the kibosh on the knitting festival by throwing around his money, yet again. Yuk. Yes, it was generous to donate the $7,800 to meet the town’s 10-grand goal. But it also sent everyone packing after only a few hours. The bridge was saved, thanks to Chris’s trust fund — not the hard work of the dedicated Hollowites. When I look a little closer at the possible symbolism, I see a man who doesn’t want any more children. I wonder if Lorelai knows about this? I doubt it, since she’s too busy staging her own personal What Not to Wear episode, changing Chris out of his trademark tight clothes, reminding him go easy on the hair gel and sending him outside wearing a comfy outfit. Sounds like she’s treating him, let’s all say it together, like a child. We know he won’t tolerate that for very long.

I just wish we had a chance to see Lane and Zack in this ep. The cool couple expecting twins should’ve been the only two in SH allowed anywhere close to knitting needles and balls of yarn